[OPLINTECH] FAQ about OPLIN's new website

[Don Yarman]

OPLINTECH-ers--

Questions are starting to come in about the new website.
Here is a quick stab at some FAQ answers.  (Isn't it
interesting that FAQ documents are now written before
the questions are frequently asked?)


WHY IS THE OPLIN WEBSITE GOING TO CHANGE?
To cut costs, OPLIN has eliminated most of our outsourcing
contracts, such as Help Desk and web hosting.  The OPLIN
website will move to servers that OPLIN manages directly.
These servers will use open source solutions, rather
than proprietary software, making the website easier=20
and cheaper to manage. =20

WHEN IS THE OPLIN WEBSITE GOING TO CHANGE?
Our new website will debut for libraries in April, around
the time of National Library Week.  During that month,
www.oplin.lib.oh.us and www.oplin.org will still use=20
the old (i.e. current) site.  The new site will have a
new address, and libraries can begin adjusting their links,=20
or wait until the new site is officially live.

WHEN WILL THE OLD/CURRENT OPLIN WEBSITE STOP WORKING?
During the first week of May, www.oplin.org will begin
using the new site.  www.oplin.lib.oh.us will gradually
be dismantled over the month.  By June, all visits to
www.oplin.lib.oh.us will receive a page directing users
to change their links to the new site.

WILL MY LINKS HAVE TO CHANGE?
If you link to the general OPLIN website at www.oplin.org,
your links will not change.  If you link directly to
OPLIN content (OH!Kids, Discover Ohio, What Tree Is
It, Research Databases page), those links will change. =20
Any direct link through OPLIN to a research database,
http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/act_ResearchDatabases.cfm?ID=3D##,
will change.

WHAT WILL THE NEW LINKS BE?
The new link structure is still evolving.  We will know
definitively what the new links will be, and will=20
publish those widely, in April when the new site debuts.


            Regards,
                          Don Yarman
                          OPLIN Library Services Manager
                          yarmando@oplin.org=20